Undeclared entity in Docbook chapters

["Fabrice \(GMail\)" <fabrice.talbot@gmail.com>]

Hi,

 

I noticed that some Docbook projects have chapter XML files that reference entities not declared in the chapter. The chapter will not validate when loaded in a XML Editor and raise errors with most XML parsers. This is usually resolved at publish time: a book XML file references those chapters with entity variables and includes entity declaration (inline or with a link).

 

Can someone explain me the benefits (or reasons) of this approach? Having non-validating XML files seems to defy the purpose of using XML standards in the first place…

 

What are the alternatives for writers who want to expose and use entities in chapters?

 

Thanks!

Fabrice